GWM plots biggest Aussie model assault yet

GWM Australia has outlined its most ambitious local expansion plan yet, confirming nine new model introductions over the next six months as it targets a top five position by the end of 2027.

Announced alongside the launch of the all-new Ora 5 SUV in Melbourne this week, the rollout will see GWM expand across SUV, ute, EV, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, diesel, and premium segments, giving the brand what it describes as one of the broadest portfolios in the Australian new-car market by the end of 2026.

The plan includes additional Ora electric models, a plug-in hybrid Cannon ute, an off-road focused Cannon Alpha XSR, a new turbocharged 3.0-litre diesel engine for the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500, three mid-size SUVs, and the local introduction of GWM’s premium Wey brand.

GWM Australia managing director Andrew Gao said Australia is now one of the company’s top three strategic international markets (behind Russia and Brazil), giving the local operation access to a wider slice of the group’s global product portfolio.

“Australia is now one of GWM Group’s top three strategic international markets,” he said.

“We’ll continue investing our best products, technologies, and resources into the ANZ region.”

GWM Australia chief operating officer John Kett said the strategy is not centred on a single powertrain, but on giving customers greater choice across petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles.

“No single technology wins every customer, and no single customer needs every technology,” he said.

The expansion begins with the Ora 5 SUV EV, now on sale locally, followed by a new Ora 5 hatch and an all-new Ora mid-size SUV later this year.

In September, GWM will add the Cannon Hi4-T Plug-in Hybrid Ute, joining the larger Cannon Alpha Hi4-T to give the brand what it claims will be Australia’s broadest electrified ute range.

The Cannon Alpha line-up will also grow with the addition of the XSR, a more off-road focused variant aimed at adventure, touring and recreational buyers.

Significantly, Australia will serve as the lead global market for GWM’s new turbocharged 3.0-litre diesel engine, which will be introduced across the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500.

GWM says the engine was developed with Australian customer feedback, testing, and driving conditions in mind, promising more power and torque, better efficiency, and improved towing confidence.

The brand will also sharpen its focus on the mid-size SUV segment from the fourth quarter of 2026, adding the Haval H7 and Haval Jolion Max to sit alongside the H6 and H6GT.

The H7 will launch first with hybrid and Hi4 plug-in hybrid powertrains, while flagship versions will offer front and rear differential locks. The Jolion Max will follow later in the year with plug-in hybrid and battery-electric variants, positioned between the existing Jolion and H6.

GWM will also introduce Wey before the end of 2026, positioning the premium sub-brand across large SUV and MPV segments with a focus on luxury, technology and electrified performance.

The company says the product offensive follows record Australian sales in the first half of 2026 and should help it close the year with more than 60,000 sales before entering 2027 with a substantially broader model range.

By the end of this year, GWM says it will offer petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric models across the segments it believes matter most to Australian buyers.

The news comes as the brand posts record June sales.

GWM Australia recorded its strongest monthly sales results since entering the local market, delivering 6104 vehicles in June as the Chinese brand prepares to launch nine new models over the second half of the year.

According to VFACTS data, the June result eclipses the company’s previous monthly record, set in March, by 7.0 per cent and lifts GWM to seventh place in the Australian market with a 4.7 per cent share.

The result also represents year-to-date growth of 20.5 per cent, providing further momentum as the company pursues its stated ambition of becoming one of Australia’s top five automotive brands by the end of 2027.

The record performance was driven by strong demand across GWM’s increasingly diverse range of petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric vehicles.

Plug-in hybrid models accounted for 21.0 per cent of the brand’s June sales, giving GWM an 8.0 per cent share of Australia’s PHEV market and second position in the segment.

Hybrid models represented a further 25.6 per cent of monthly deliveries, securing a 5.7 per cent segment share and fourth place overall.

Leading the charge was the Haval Jolion, which recorded a model-best 2446 deliveries during the month.

The Haval H6 and H6 GT added a combined 1433 sales, while the Cannon and Cannon Alpha ute range contributed 1171 deliveries.

The recently launched Ora 5 also made an encouraging start, recording 275 sales as dealer stock began arriving late in June (and on the back of over 4000 expressions of interest in the model).

GWM said growing availability of the Tank 300 Plug-in Hybrid also boosted electrified sales, with 258 examples delivered during the month.

The PHEV variant accounted for almost half of all Tank 300 sales, highlighting increasing consumer acceptance of electrified powertrains within the off-road SUV segment.

The company added that every Australian sales region achieved its strongest monthly result on record, indicating broad-based demand across both metropolitan and regional markets.

“This is the strongest month in GWM Australia’s history, and it’s a direct result of the investment we’ve made in our product range and our people,” added Mr Kett.

“Australian customers are responding to what we’re building – vehicles that deliver genuine value without compromise.

“June is proof our strategy is working, and with nine new models arriving over the next six months, we’re only getting started on the drive to top five.”